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Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges and while medication helps many people, I also want to address other options for those looking for ways to manage it without a prescription (or alongside one). The good news: there is more and more research that backs the effectiveness of several non-medication approaches when done with consistency.

Here are some tools that work and how to use them.

Master Breathwork

Your breathing can be one of the fastest way to interrupt an anxiety spike. When you’re anxious, your breathing becomes shallow and rapid, which signals to your nervous system that something is wrong. Slow deliberate breathing reverses that signal.

Try this: The 4-7-8 method. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale through your mouth for 8. Eight seconds requires you to go extremely slow and forces your brain to focus on this one present task. Repeat four times. Do it twice a day and again whenever anxiety hits. Some people even feel a shift after a single round.

You can also try Box Breathing (sometimes called 4 Square). This is where you breathe in for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4, in for 4, and out for 4 while internally thinking of forming a box/square.

Move Your Body

Exercise is one of the most well-studied anxiety interventions!! Even if you only can do 30 minutes of moderate movement such as brisk walking, cycling, yoga, swimming, dancing, weight lifting etc. – it will make such a positive impact.

Why it works: physical activity burns off stress hormones (like cortisol and adrenaline), releases endorphins (the feel good/happy chemicals) which gives your nervous system a healthy outlet.

I can personally attest to how much better I feel after working out. Even when the life situations haven’t been magically resolved, I still feel a deeper sense of calm and less emotionally fragile. My personal choice of exercise has been strength training for the last 7 years with some light cardio sprinkled in. That endorphin boost is everything!!

If you struggle to stay consistent or find gym workouts intimidating, an at-home flexible program can be a game-changer. When I first started working out and felt so intimidated and only had access to our small apartment gym, I used and loved Madeline Moves. I used her all through COVID and benefited from her pregnancy and postpartum programs. Her app includes so many options, with tons of alternativesto follow as well as nutrition elements and recipes. Click here to get a free 7 day trial and $5 off your first month (making it only $15 total!)

Get Outside

Time in nature has a measurable calming effect because it lowers cortisol (your main stress hormone), slows your heart rate, drops blood pressure, and shifts your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode.

Why it works: trees and plants release compounds called phytoncides, and breathing them in has been linked in studies to lower stress hormones and improved mood. There’s also the simple fact that natural settings give your overstimulated, screen-fatigued brain a chance to rest in a way that busy indoor environments can’t. Add in natural light, fresh air, and gentle movement, and you’ve got a powerful anti-anxiety combination.

A simple 20-minute walk in your neighborhood or a park will do wonders for you! (and is a twofer as you incorporate moving your body 😉)

Sleep

Poor sleep and anxiety feed each other in a brutal loop. Anxiety wrecks your sleep, and bad sleep amplifies anxiety. Breaking the cycle is non-negotiable.

The basics: aim for 7–9 hours, keep a consistent schedule (even on weekends), stop social media and scrolling an hour before bed, and keep your room cool and dark. If racing thoughts keep you up, try a “brain dump” where you write everything on your mind onto paper before getting in bed so your brain doesn’t try to hold onto it.

Watch What You Consume

Caffeine, alcohol, and sugar all mess with anxiety more than people realize. Caffeine mimics the physical symptoms of a panic attack with a racing heart, jitters, and restlessness. Alcohol may feel calming at first but spikes anxiety later, and blood sugar crashes can trigger anxiety symptoms that feel completely unrelated to food.

Here’s one most people miss: electrolytes. Low sodium, magnesium, or potassium can mimic anxiety almost perfectly with heart palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, or brain fog. If you drink a lot of water but feel “off,” you might actually be under-mineralized.

This is why I keep LMNT always stocked in the pantry. It’s a yummy electrolyte drink mix with no sugar or weird additives, and it makes a noticeable difference in how steady I feel throughout the day. I personally have always struggled with migraines (even though I drink tons of water) so if I feel a headache coming on, I love to drink one and it helps pretty quickly.

You can grab a free sample pack with your first order through my link here. My favorite flavors are lemonade, orange, citrus, and the chocolate flavors with warmed up water or milk. My husband loves the mango chili best.

Try cutting caffeine after noon, limiting alcohol, eating balanced meals with protein and healthy fats, and adding electrolytes. Track how you feel for two weeks and notice how you feel.

Watch Your Social Media Intake

This one deserves its own section because most of us underestimate its affects. Doom scrolling, comparison traps, and constant notifications keep your nervous system in a low grade fight-or-flight state all day long. Studies consistently link heavy social media use with higher rates of anxiety and depression, especially in women and teens.

You don’t have to quit entirely or drop off the face of the earth. But try a few of these:

• Set restrictions- You can set screen limits to force certain apps to close which will help you use them less. For example, at 9:30pm my social media apps lock and won’t reopen until 9:30am the next day.
• No phone for the first and last hour of your day– These are the windows that set your nervous system’s tone. For many client I have worked with, starting the day off with an influx of news, announcements, and a peek into other’s days creates anxiety and starts them on a comparison spiral. Removing that all together can start the day off much differently. Some people find that waiting to get on social media until after they have read their Bible is another way to decrease usage and set their mind on what matters most.
• Unfollow accounts that make you feel anxious, behind, or “less than”
• Turn off notifications- Really unless it’s a text or phone call, you don’t need to be alerted to everything going on. This will help your brain and body not be waiting for a ping to go off and allow you to be more present and grounded in real time.
•  Try a 24-hour break once or twice a week and notice how your body feels. I started implementing this a year or so ago and it has done wonders for my mental health and overall mood. Even though social media is part of my job, I still take about 2-3 days off during the week. I’m all about practicing what I preach!

Pay attention to how you feel after scrolling. If it’s causing you to feel drained, anxious, or unsettled more often than not…then your feed is just feeding your anxiety.

 Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness isn’t about emptying your mind. It’s about noticing what’s happening without getting hijacked by it. Regular practice rewires how your brain responds to stress.

Start small: 5 minutes a day using an app like Insight Timer, Calm, or Healthy Minds. Or try a Grounding Exercise when anxiety spikes. My favorite is the 5 Senses Tool. You will name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste. It forces you to be in the present moment and aware of your surroundings.

Find Your People

Loneliness tends to amplify anxiety. Strong relationships can be a good buffer against it. Make a habit of regular contact with people who feel safe such as a weekly call with a friend, a walk with a neighbor, a time to check-in with your spouse etc.

If your circle feels thin right now, be intentional about building it. A few ideas:

• Join a church small group– in addition to the spiritual benefits, it’s one of the most reliable sources of built-in community, weekly rhythm, and having people who’ll show up for you without question
• Check Facebook for local groups– search for your interests like a mahjong group, mom walking groups, book clubs, pickleball clubs, or other hobby meetups in your area. These low-pressure, recurring get togethers are perfect for making deeper connections.
• Find people in your season of life– if you’re married it can be great to find other couples to connect with. If you have kids, finding other parents to spend time at the park or pool with etc.

The goal is regular in-person contact with people. It doesn’t have to happen all at once! Ease your way into it, but be intentional to deepen your inner community of people.

Get Outside Help

Therapy isn’t medication and yet it’s one of the most effective tools available. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in particular has strong evidence for supporting anxiety. A good therapist gives you tools you’ll use for the rest of your life.

If your anxiety is severe and interfering with your daily life or accompanied by panic attacks or depression- please talk to a healthcare provider. Holistic tools and professional support aren’t either/or.. they often work best together.

If you want more info about 1:1 sessions with me, please reach out HERE so we can work together to help lower your anxiety!